Wang Zhigang, Ai Changpeng, Sun Ting, Wang Zhiyang, Zhang Wuyu, Zhou Feifan, Wu Shengnan
MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China.
Key Laboratory of Brain Health Intelligent Evaluation and Intervention, Ministry of Education, School of Medical Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.
Photoacoustics. 2025 May 30;44:100737. doi: 10.1016/j.pacs.2025.100737. eCollection 2025 Aug.
Sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) is a common complication of sepsis, involving acute brain dysfunction. Although cerebrovascular impairment plays a critical role in SAE, sepsis-induced microvascular changes remain poorly quantified. Here, we used photoacoustic microscopy to dynamically assess blood-brain barrier permeability in septic mice, analyzing vascular structure across five parameters. Additionally, we examined pathological changes in major cortical regions and conducted behavioral tests to validate the findings. Results showed microvascular degeneration, including reduced vascular density and branching, alongside an increase in fine vessels. Motor-related cortical areas were most affected, correlating with severe motor and cognitive deficits in septic mice. This study provides the first , multi-parametric analysis of sepsis-induced cerebrovascular pathology, revealing region-specific damage. Our findings directly link microvascular dysfunction to SAE progression and highlight photoacoustic microscopy's potential in neuroscience research.
脓毒症相关性脑病（SAE）是脓毒症的常见并发症，涉及急性脑功能障碍。尽管脑血管损伤在SAE中起关键作用，但脓毒症诱导的微血管变化仍缺乏充分量化。在此，我们使用光声显微镜动态评估脓毒症小鼠的血脑屏障通透性，通过五个参数分析血管结构。此外，我们检查了主要皮质区域的病理变化，并进行行为测试以验证研究结果。结果显示微血管退变，包括血管密度和分支减少，同时细血管增多。与运动相关的皮质区域受影响最大，这与脓毒症小鼠严重的运动和认知缺陷相关。本研究首次对脓毒症诱导的脑血管病理进行了多参数分析，揭示了区域特异性损伤。我们的研究结果直接将微血管功能障碍与SAE进展联系起来，并突出了光声显微镜在神经科学研究中的潜力。
